Are You Wondering What "1312" Means? We've Got You!

Folks are wondering what the numbers 1312 mean as the internet becomes flooded with references to the numbers. The letters actually represent an acronym, ACAB.

ACAB originated in the 1980s in Great Britain, according to the Anti-Defamation League. One stands for the letter A, 3 stands for the letter C, 1 stands for A again, and 2 stands for the letter B. So, what do 1312 and ACAB stand for?

The letters 1312 are the corresponding numbers to the letters ACAB, which stands for "All Cops Are Bastards." ACAB is an anti-police slogan that began in Great Britain during the 1920s. It was primarily used by skinheads and punk rockers in the 1980s, but the slogan was also used by anarchists and anti-racist skinheads.

After the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by the police in 2020, the phrase became more popular among far-left groups in the United States, and it was used at Black Lives Matter protests worldwide.

However, ACAB and 1312 are also used by white supremacist groups, such as the far-right boogaloo movement and other anti-government groups. The racist groups began using the letters and numbers on clothing in the 1990s, as well as in tattoos, and some even changed the meaning to "All Communists Are Bastards."

The letters and numbers are now associated with racism and hatred because of white supremacists, but many folks seemingly are unaware of that fact. A traveling nurse shared an ACAB video on TikTok to indicate her support for the anti-police movement, but she was seemingly unaware that the acronym is used by white supremacist groups as well as anti-government groups on the left.

Because white supremacists make up only a minority of those who may use ACAB, particularly after the spread of the acronym during and after the 2020 protests over the death of George Floyd, the acronym should be carefully judged in the context of its appearance, according to a statement from the ADL.

"One cannot assume that the mere appearance of ACAB on its own indicates a tie to or affinity with white supremacy or hatred."

According to GQ Magazine, ACAB is being used widely on TikTok as an anti-police brutality movement and has appeared on a billboard in Portland, Ore., during Black Lives Matter protests.

The sign read, “Portland, is your white fragility showing? Yes, it is. ACAB.”

However, because the terms are used by hate groups, they are considered hate speech by the Anti-Defamation League.

"By the 1990s at the latest, racist skinheads in the United States had embraced the term, including using it for tattoos and clothing," reads a statement from the Anti-Defamation League.

While the Anti-Defamation League says 1312 and ACAB are hate symbols that “should be carefully judged in the context in which it appears,” many folks don't realize this and continue to post what they think is anti-police brutality content in oblivion on their social media pages.